How to reduce the risk of car break-ins

Sgt. Matt Luettke suggests to always lock the doors, roll up the windows and take any item - valuable or not - out of the vehicle to reduce the risk of a break-in.

LUCAS COUNTY, OH (Toledo News Now) -

Law enforcement is putting out a warning for residents as summer approaches. Officials at the Lucas County Sheriff's Office say every time temperatures rise, the department sees an increase in reported crimes and calls for its service.

Sgt. Matt Luettke says since more people are out and about during the warm months, motorists tend to leave doors unlocked and windows down, making them easier targets for thefts. His suggestion is to always lock the doors, roll up the windows and take any item - valuable or not - out of the vehicle.

Luettke says prevention and awareness are the two main things a driver can do to prevent break-ins. By removing items beforehand and being aware of the surroundings, drivers can lower the risk of falling victim.

"If you really have valuables, don't leave them unattended in your vehicle, you know? Don't leave them in your driveway. A lot of people don't lock their doors on their vehicle at night when they park their cars, maybe they don't even roll up their windows because of the nice weather. If you have stuff that's in there (valuable items), they will be taken," warned Luettke.

According to Luettke, another time of year thefts involving cars increase is the holiday shopping season. He suggests if shoppers are going store to store, they should lock bags in the vehicle's trunk and out of sight to passersby.

A pair of gorillas now make their home at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The zoo is welcoming two new female gorillas ahead of World Gorilla Day, Sept. 24. "Fredrika" (or Freddy) is 43-year-old from Zoo Miami in Miami, FL and 26-year-old and "Kebi Moya" (or Kebi) comes to Cleveland from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Powell, OH.

A pair of gorillas now make their home at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The zoo is welcoming two new female gorillas ahead of World Gorilla Day, Sept. 24. "Fredrika" (or Freddy) is 43-year-old from Zoo Miami in Miami, FL and 26-year-old and "Kebi Moya" (or Kebi) comes to Cleveland from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Powell, OH.